Baker Institute

What does the future of computing look like in the age of artificial intelligence? In a new commentary for @CACMmag, @vardi examines how AI is reshaping research, education, & the computing profession — & why it is time to rethink what it means to advance computing. bit.ly/3RnUY41 #ArtificialIntelligence #Computing #HigherEducation

CEO compensation at major hospital systems grew more rapidly than direct patient care wages between 2015 & 2022. A new Health Economics Program brief by Derek Jenkins examines what these trends mean for hospital governance. 🏥📈 bit.ly/4wEgwby #HealthPolicy #Healthcare

🇮🇷 What comes next for Iran after the apparent breakdown of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire? Baker Institute Fellow for the Middle East Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar joins @AmbSatterfield to discuss Iran’s evolving strategy, the Straight of Hormuz’s significance, & what one pivotal week could mean for the region. 🎧 Listen to the full episode: bit.ly/4bnVvtA

#HarrisCounty faces growing budgetary headwinds that demand clearer financial disclosure. A new Center for Tax and Budget Policy report by @BillKingHouston, @Joyce_T_Beebe, @jw_diamond & Randall Rice explores how improvements to the budgeting process could strengthen transparency & support long-term fiscal planning. 📊 Full report: bit.ly/4gvMQsv #TexasPolitics #Budget #Transparency

The Strait of Hormuz has reopened, but gas prices may not fall right away. After weeks of oil market disruption, Texas consumers could still face elevated fuel costs in the near term. According to our nonresident fellow, Skip York, real pressure may start to ease on gasoline prices in July and August. Read more in @HoustonPubMedia: bit.ly/4vQMK3F

Six years after taking power, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said has overseen economic reform in #Oman while maintaining its role as an international mediator. 🇴🇲 In a new brief for @Baker_CME, @AnnelleSheline analyzes the country’s transformation. bit.ly/3SDYBDv #MiddleEast #Diplomacy #ForeignPolicy

Which foreign assistance investments generate the greatest national security returns? A new working paper examines where foreign aid is most effective in advancing U.S. interests, while identifying where expectations should be tempered. bit.ly/4vakw2p #ForeignAid #NationalSecurity #EconomicStatecraft

Fewer insurers are offering ACA plans as enhanced subsidies expire and enrollment drops. With companies like Aetna and Cigna leaving some state marketplaces, competition could narrow and premiums could rise. According to our health economist Vivian Ho, when there is less profit to be made, fewer suppliers are likely to stay in the market. Read more in Marketplace: bit.ly/44gF1zx

Kuwait announced significant plans to expand energy production & investment in 2025, but could institutional barriers slow progress? 🇰🇼⚡ A new Middle East Energy Roundtable report examines legal & regulatory challenges & offers recommendations to support Kuwait’s energy goals. bit.ly/448Ny7B #MiddleEastEnergy #EnergyPolicy #OilGas

Why can’t the West build a working price for critical minerals? @ashzforbes argues that pricing depends on separating adversary-controlled supply chains through a control-based #FEOC definition, requiring allied coordination to build a bifurcated pricing framework. bit.ly/3R9qYsC #CriticalMinerals #SupplyChains #EnergySecurity #IndustrialPolicy

🎙️ What can we expect from the 2026 USMCA review? David A. Gantz & @snlester break down the negotiating priorities & pressures facing the U.S., Mexico, & Canada ahead of July 1. 🎧 Listen: bit.ly/4xVYWl0

🎙️ Can Syria rebuild after more than a decade of war? On the latest #BakerBriefing, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen speaks with Mona Yacoubian of @CSISMiddleEast about Syria’s fragile transition, the challenges of reconstruction & refugee return, & the regional dynamics shaping the country’s future. 🎧 Listen: bit.ly/4v0Y8IW

The first joint review of the USMCA begins July 1, with the U.S., Mexico, and Canada set to assess the agreement’s future. What’s at stake for North American trade and economic integration? On July 9, the @Baker_CUSMEX will host a webinar examining the state of negotiations and the road ahead. Register today: bit.ly/4uYYLCG

Sustainability is increasingly about managing trade-offs across complex systems. A new paper by Rachel A. Meidl explores how organizations — especially in pharmaceuticals — are navigating competing priorities like emissions, resilience, compliance, safety,& affordability. bit.ly/4gBQXTO #Sustainability#SupplyChains #Pharma #Resilience

4️⃣ Macro-Level Structures of Aid The final briefs examine how aid and displacement are shaped by states and institutions. From “vulnerability diplomacy” in Jordan and Egypt to humanitarian aid challenges in Gaza, the authors highlight the need for more effective and context-sensitive responses

3️⃣ Return, Reintegration, and Recovery Two briefs explore the aspirations of Syrian youth in Jordan and the importance of restoring property rights for sustainable reintegration. The authors argue that durable return requires more than political transition, it also depends on security, economic opportunity, legal protections, and long-term support

Tomorrow is #WorldRefugeeDay. In collaboration with @MiReKoc, our “Protracted Displacement in the Middle East and North Africa” series explores four key themes shaping responses to long-term displacement.  Read the full series here: bit.ly/3PBDwZ3 🧵👇 Here are the main themes

Global refugee numbers fell in 2025 for the first time in a decade, but pressures on humanitarian systems continue to grow. In a new piece for @ConversationUS, Kelsey Norman & Nicholas R. Micinski examine how aid cuts &changing migration policies are minimizing refugee support systems &increasing pressure on displaced populations. bit.ly/4vj1w2z #Refugees #Migration #HumanitarianAid